Santiago – Post Camino, Day 26

Kind of a slow start today. Slept in, did laundry and then shopped all morning. Quite a dull day really compared to what I’ve become accustomed to. To tell you the truth, I’d rather be walking.  So leaving tomorrow for Paris is just great for me. I get most of my fun in the day seeing a newly arrived pilgrim walk by.

While out strolling around this afternoon I bumped into Jurgen from Germany. It was nice to sit with him and talk Camino. It’s my new language. I will have to be careful when I go home not to bore everyone to death with my new vocabulary.  Anyway Jurgen goes back home tomorrow.

I thought one last picture was in order so we went to the cathedral and Jurgen asked a nun who was passing by to take a picture. She readily agreed and came and stood beside me, smiling widely across at a surprised Jurgen.  It was a pricess moment.  

 Tonight I will have one final dinner with Claudia, Uli and Mattie and I’m looking forward to being with them again. They were always such great company. The Portuguese Camino is wrapping up with everyone soon to go their seperate ways. Perhaps next year or another year our paths will cross once more. I can hope so, it is the way.

Santiago – Post Camino, Day 25

It was the perfect day to hop on a bus and go on a tour to Finisterre. It turned out that a fellow pilgrim Irena from Ireland was going on the same trip. Bus left at 9:30 and didn’t return until 6:30 so it was a full day of sightseeing. First stop was Muxia where we had close to an hour to walk around and look out at the ocean and admire the views.  

 Next it was on to Finisterre, once considered the end of the world – a most beautiful place and the final destination for a handful of pilgrims.  

 

It was then time for lunch in a lovely fishing village on the seashore. And lastly a trip to one of 3 waterfalls in continent Europe that can boast falling directly into the ocean.  Usually they’ll fall into a river or a lake but not into the ocean.  On the rocks you can see where the ocean used to rise prior to the dam being built.

The last stop for the day was in a little town to view the largest corn house in all of Spain.  It was once or still is owned by the church. They would receive a portion of the villagers crops and would need a very large storage shed for storing and drying. Truly the largest I’ve seen.  They can be seen everywhere in Portugal and Spain and some are very elegant but most are not used for their original purposes. Our guide said some are used nowadays for drying laundry and storing items like bikes. Well at least they’re still being used.

 The final part of the trip back to Santiago found half the bus snoozing – Irena and I included.

It was a great day if seeing and learning about the landscape. Now it was time for dinner and tonight it was eastern food at a restaurant that Irena  had previously visited. It was very good healthy food (a bit pricey) – salad, chicken kabob, and spicy but delicious rice. Not your usual Spanish meal but nice for a change.

Day 24 – Teo to Santiago

And now the day has arrived – our last day on the Camino. It dawned bright and sunny as it had done for the last 24 days. We packed up and headed out.

To me it was a significant day that signalled the end of a great adventure thru 2 countries filled with warm and friendly people, pilgrims from all over the world and experiences I will cherish forever.

We set off without breakfast and without coffee (which Petra has been learning to enjoy under my influence).  We shortly passed by a stand in the forest where a man was selling coffee/tea etc and Petra picked up a tea and he was good enough to take our picture.

Petra surprised me this morning when I was complaining about being hungry – who me! She told me to check her pack and when I did I found a supply of pigs ears from a restaurant we had visited the night before. She had gone back, after I had gone to bed, and secretly bought a bunch that we could enjoy this morning. What a girl!  They are my favorite Spanish pastry and since leaving Portugal my sweet tooth has been suffering (just a bit) in the morning.  We had one each and then gobbled the rest down over coffee later on.

It was a hilly route into Santiago but still picturesque and interesting.        We eventually arrived at the magnificent cathedral square.  It was very busy with people everywhere and only a half hour before the noon service where the pendulum swings.

I wanted to look around longer for a fellow blogger and pilgrim,  Maggie, but we were running out of time and I could not see her anyway. My only disappointment of the day.   We  found a place to stow our packs (they are not allowed in the cathedral) and then  went into the packed cathedral – standing room only, altho we did find some stairs to sit on.

The service began and I didn’t understand one word  of it. That didn’t stop me from enjoying it however, as I rested my head on my arm and surprisingly fell asleep. I hope Saint James will forgive me.  I awoke in time to see the incense burner do it’s long swing back and forth.  It is said that they originally burnt incense to counteract the stench of the pilgrims. As we hadn’t showered yet, I think it can still be said. But quite a show inside with many cameras going off and people moving to and fro for a better view.

   We then went out for Petra’s last lunch in Spain before she was to head for the bus depot to catch a bus to the airport. I tried one mouthful of octopus and that was enough for me. The squid was delicious as was another plate of pimientos.

It was only a 15 minute walk to the bus depot, where I also will be going soon enough. It was a teary farewell for me as I said goodbye to Petra.  I hope I will see her again one day.

Now the day really felt odd.  No walking tomorrow, no buddy Petra. I know I will be fine but it will take some getting used to after being so active for so long and with such good company.

I went to my new home, the albergue called ‘The Last Stamp’ and it is a clean, modern and well run place. I have a lower bunk with my own locker with combination and 2 electrical outlets with small shelves within my bunk unit.  The sheet and pillowcase are clean and folded and real cotton, not the paper I had become used to in Spain.  It doesn’t take much to impress me anymore. I have developed a new appreciation for small things.

Once settled and cleaned up I headed out onto the twisty small streets of Santiago, saying a silent prayer for guidance there and back.  I found a small restaurant near the cathedral that had wifi and enjoyed a cold beer while corresponding. My position and view could not have been any better as you can see from the photo below.

 Soon I was ordering a glass of wine, soup, and yet another plate of pimientos.  Glorious!

Tomorrow I have booked a bus tour to Finisterre where at one time was thought of as the end of the world.  A good day off my feet.  I want the following day free to see the German girls Claudia and Uli come into Santiago.

Spanish flowers

    

      
 
   

    

  

 

  

 

 

    
 

Day 23 – Caldas de Reis to Teo

An early morning start with most of the other pilgrims. We walked on more quiet country roads without the packs  of cyclists  we had yesterday.  

 We walked a longer day so that we would be only 13 kms to Santiago tomorrow.

We made it to the big city of Padron and found a market and stocked up on fruit for the next days march. On leaving the city we were lucky enough to spot a restaurant that had pimientos so we shared a plate of those as they are one of the Padron specialties.   Delicious!

 Onwards we trekked and were soon approaching the small town of Teo. Our feet were getting tired so we stopped for refreshments and a boots off break. As we sat there we saw a few pilgrims going by and that made us nervous about accommodation. So we quickly packed up and went into our high gear, passing a few elderly gents on the hill. Petra felt bad because she didn’t want to take a bed they might need. I told her they were probably not even going to the same albergue and sure enough, we found out later they were staying elsewhere. So unnecessary guilt.

We made it to the albergue and it had room for 24 pilgrims on 12 bunks. So on the perfect small side for me and in a very quiet location as well. I had a shower and then had a sound and refreshing nap. Still trying to catch up on sleep.

Later we got together with Leah from Denmark in search of a restaurant. Petra and I wanted more pimientos for dinner and a salad and Leah wanted squid. Unfortunately for  Leah they were out of squid but Petra and I enjoyed a delicious meal which included pimientos and salad/bread and one other dish.

Now time to head back and get a good nights rest before our final walk to Santiago tomorrow.  I will be walking there happy and sad. Happy for the amazing journey I’ve been on.  I’ve been honoured meeting so many wonderful people like Thea from Holland, German sisters Claudia and Uli, Mattie from Spain, Jurgen from Germany, Laurie Reynolds in Lisbon, possibly my super star trekker Maggie from Spain and always a most special place in my heart, dear Petra from Croatia who has been my Camino daughter.  It will feel sad for this Camino to end, but it ends with the knowledge I will be back.
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